Note that the majority of the back of Amazon’s next-generation Kindle Fire HD has been obscured in the photos to cover identifiable marks on the device.

As can be seen in our exclusive photos, the 2013 Kindle Fire HD models feature an extensive design overhaul. The rounded shape on the back of the current models has been replaced with a more angular design that gives the device a much harder look. Also as we described, the buttons have been completely redesigned since the current layout was a big pain point for many users.

The stereo speakers on the back of the Kindle Fire HD have now been moved to the top of the device, as seen in several of our exclusive photos. The band across the bottom on the back of the current HD tablets has been removed, leaving a smooth back surface interrupted only by Amazon’s logo.

For a quick refresher, our sources state that Amazon’s new 7-inch Kindle Fire HD will feature a high-resolution 1,920 x 1,200-pixel display, a quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 chipset clocked at more than 2GHz, 2GB of RAM, Wi-Fi, optional cellular data, Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean and either 16GB, 32GB or 64GB of internal storage.

The updated 8.9-inch model is said to feature nearly identical specs beneath its 2,560 x 1,600-pixel high-definition display, and it also includes an 8-megapixel rear camera.

We’re told both models are lighter and more comfortable to use than the current-generation tablets they will replace.

Launch details are still a bit fuzzy but we’re told the 7-inch model may launch in the coming weeks, while the larger 8.9-inch version might not begin shipping until sometime in November. Amazon’s 2012 Kindle Fire HD launches were staggered as well; the Kindle Fire HD 7″ was released in mid-September last year while the Kindle Fire HD 8.9″ wasn’t available until two months later in mid-November.